


born to take this chance

by desolateskies



Series: widojest week 2020 [3]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: AND some dima and anya-typical intense pining, Multi, alternate universe- anastasia, and possibly MOST importantly: yeza as lily, but i'll bear that burden if i get to eventually get to write some gleb-typical love vs duty angst, so this is your first and only warning, this fic will contain a fair bit of astrid and eodwulf, this might end up as a convoluted mess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25160464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desolateskies/pseuds/desolateskies
Summary: The Menagerie Coast is no longer a safe place for Caleb Widogast and Nott the Brave. They have one chance at freedom: the myth of Genevieve Lavorre and the reward for her safe return.[prompt three: alternate universe]
Relationships: Astrid/Eodwulf/Caleb Widogast, Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast, Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast/Astrid/Eodwulf
Series: widojest week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1819588
Kudos: 11





	born to take this chance

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to widojest week with a poly twist part THREE! i didn't think i'd get this far, but i'm going to ride this wave of motivation until it gives out on me.
> 
> fair warning that this first chapter is just a whopping fuckton of exposition that establishes our five main characters as they currently are. the shippier content will come later.

Our story begins within the Lavish Chateau. It was once a position of power along the Menagerie Coast, and was respected as such by those who understood that there was greater strength in the smile of a pretty woman than the hefting of a sword. Astrid Wagner understood that distinction all too well.

In retrospect, control over the Menagerie Coast hadn’t been as difficult to attain as the rest of the Assembly claimed. They were fools who allowed their ambition to rust and dull, content to sit idle with the power they had. Only Master Ikithon’s whisper in the King’s ear and careful work from the scourgers stationed along the coast were able to stoke enough animosity in both countries to oust the Clovis Concord. All important members had been subject to execution, and soon, it would be simple to take the region and make it seem like mercy rather than conquest.

“Astrid?” came a silky voice. It came from one of the operatives stationed in Nicodranas to sew dissent among the population, “the crowd is ready for you.”

“Thank you, Esther,” she replied, carefully adjusting the immaculate placement of her necklace, “and where is Eodwulf? I assumed he would be my guard for this speech.”

“He’s...indisposed. Dealing with the rogue groups of Zhelezo that like to make trouble. I could take his place, if you’d like?” She was young, a yearning for power in her eyes that even the cold mask of a Volstrucker couldn’t fully obscure, but Astrid could take care of herself. Master Ikithon wouldn’t have put her in charge of the region if he wasn’t sure of that. Having Wulf at her side was more of a matter of comfort than security. 

“No thank you. I’ll manage.”

And of course she would. She always did her job with the neutrality and efficiency of someone who didn’t take joy in the work. After all, Astrid hadn’t truly enjoyed this job since Bren had been taken from her years ago...but now was no time to dwell on the past, not when she had the future of an empire at her fingertips. 

She pushed open the delicate, shuttered doors that led to the balcony. And there, she simply stood for a moment, taking in the midday sun strong on the back of her neck, the sudden hush that rolled over the crowd. Then, she stepped into the light, into the skin of a woman who had full control over every situation she chose to enter.

“We hear your struggles, the strength it takes to live in a tumultuous time. The Empire understands how difficult such a sudden period of change can be, but-”

The doors closed gently behind her, leaving the Chateau in darkness.

* * *

Far away, at the edge of the crowd, a red-haired man ducked his head further under the hod of a cloak that’d seen much better days. He clutched a loaf of bread, glancing nervously now and then at the woman speaking from the balcony. She looked at home up there, weaving placating lies for the people who looked to her for guidance. He wondered if there was anything left of the girl Caleb had known so many years ago, or if she was just a hollow shell of his Sassa.

“ _Caleb_ ,” a quiet voice hissed from somewhere behind him. He blinked, surprised. Nott was supposed to be somewhere in the crowd in front of him, picking pockets. He’d thought he was successfully keeping track of his companion's path through the crowd, but one of Nott’s strengths had always been remaining unseen.

It was a small comfort that her coin purse seemed heavier than before. They needed money to escape the Coast before the Empire could fully seize control. That would put the anonymity he’d built for himself in Nicodranas at risk. Nott had lived in the Empire for a period of time, and she seemed sure that as long as they got past the border undetected, they would be able to disappear once again. They were a pair unlikely friends, sure, but desperation bred the strongest of bonds.

“Walk this way,” Caleb murmured to his companion, and together they merged into the sparse foot traffic with practiced ease.

“I heard _rumors_ , Cay. They say the Ruby of the Sea’s willing to pay a lot of money for the safe return of her daughter. We’re gonna be broke when we get to the Empire, so that money could go a long way,” Nott muttered quickly into the copper wire tucked into her sleeve, “you can reply to this message, by the way.”

“I’ve heard the same,” Caleb replied, comforted that no one apart from Nott could hear his words. He’d been paranoid before, but now that he’d confirmed the Volstrucker presence in the city with his own eyes, he appreciated her adherence to his safety measures. “One hundred platinum for the safe return of Genevieve Lavorre. I wasn’t aware that the Ruby of the Sea _had_ a daughter.”

“I think she was supposed to be a secret. That’s how she escaped,” Nott said, with the assuredness of someone who knew the rumor was true. Caleb had long-since developed an aversion to fairy tales, and this rumor had the trappings of every children’s tale his mother used to tell.

“Nott, that’s a story. There is...no possibility of someone so young surviving the slaughtering of the Menagerie Coast’s elite. There’s luck, and then there’s-” 

“Stranger things have happened! That’s all I’m saying!” she held up her hands in surrender, “besides, who said we needed the _real_ Genevieve. We’re good at cons, you and I.” She winked and Caleb could extrapolate the rest.

“That would be the biggest con we’ve _ever_ pulled, Nott,” he said reluctantly, “even if we could get someone willing to go along with it, there is little chance of success.”

“Well, there’s risk in everything,” Nott said, waving his concerns off. She was already focused on something behind him, and her eyes lit up after a moment of scanning. ”What is _that?_ Come on! Let’s go check it out!”

Caleb soon found himself dragged over to a temporary market, watching goods and galleys trade hands at lightning speed. No one would dare trade items like these while the Zhelezo and newly-arrived Crownsguard were watching, and the vendors seemed to hope that the speech in the square would be distraction enough.

Nott seemed most interested in the corner of the market selling luxury items: jewelry, ornate tapestries, little displays of decadence being dispersed among the commoners of the city.

“We should buy something that belonged to Genevieve!” Nott hissed, and he could see her sharp mind concocting a plan already. It was difficult to sway her once she got an idea into her head, but Caleb trusted her judgement. “This is exactly what we need for our plan.”

The sounds and sights around him made his head spin, and it took him a second to realize that someone was waving a thin rectangular object in his face.

“This set of paints belonged to Genevieve Lavorre!” the woman holding it announced loudly, and Caleb straightened with interest.

“How much do you want for it?” Nott said immediately

“You couldn’t afford it,” she sniffed, and Caleb knew a bluff when he heard one.

“This loaf of bread?” he offered, and the woman’s eyes went wide. There’d been a food shortage lately, and it seemed that everyone was feeling its effects.

“Done.” 

“You had better be sure of this, Nott,” Caleb muttered.

Then, he traded the only real meal they’d had in days for a dead woman’s trinket.

* * *

Jester jumped at the harsh clang of a sickle against the wall beside her head.

“You know the drill. Hand over whatever you have,” snapped the leader of the small band of Zhelezo before her. They’d never bothered Jester before, but with the power vacuum in the city they were growing bolder, greedier.

She shrunk back against the wall. Some part of her was too proud to make herself small to feed another’s ego, the other part knew that she was always the one with the last laugh. Her mind kicked into overdrive as the Zhelezo before her grew more and more impatient. Then, she saw a man passing by, dressed simply in Empire fashion that complimented his broad build and cropped dark hair. Jester knew instinctively that he wasn’t someone that the Zhelezo would be willing to mess with. 

“I don’t have any money,” she wailed, perhaps a touch overdramatically, loud enough to catch his attention. “Oh, _no._ I am so _afraid_ of you!”

The man seemed to materialize behind the Zhelezo, and the sickle dropped to the ground with a clatter once they became aware of the menacing presence.

“Is something the matter?” the man’s voice was low, edged with the Zeminan accent Jester had only recently begun to recognize.The Zhelezo turned, and the quiet man flashed an emblem Jester didn’t recognize.

The one who’d intimidated her earlier went pale. 

“Of course not. We were just making sure she got home safely. The streets are more and more dangerous every day.”

“I’ll make sure that she gets where she needs to go,” the stranger said, a clear dismissal in his voice. The Zhelezo scattered, leaving Jester to pick up the fallen sickle and tuck it awkwardly in her belt.

“Thank you. Those guys seemed really scary,” she said with a simpering smile. Extra flattery never hurt anybody.

The man seemed surprised, and Jester couldn’t tell if it was the heat or her smile, but he seemed redder than before. “Of course. I’m Eodwulf, if there’s anything else you need-”

“I’m good!” Jester replied quickly, patience growing thin. After all, she didn't actually want to have a conversation with him.

“Pardon?” 

“Oh, you know...it’s just that my boyfriend usually takes care of big scary people for me!” 

“Ah. I see.”

“Mhm, so do I! I see him right over there!” She pointed wildly into the distance, landing on a very dirty-looking redhead. There was a small figure beside him--a halfling?--who nudged him to have him look in her direction. She smiled gratefully.

Eodwulf, man of few words, only had two for their parting. “Stay safe.”

“I will! Thank you Mr. Wolf!”

Jester trudged across the street, grabbing the arm of the man she’d pointed to. There was little resistance, and when she looked at his face, he seemed fixated on Eodwulf. It looked like he'd seen a ghost, or maybe he just always seemed this confused.

“Hello, boyfriend!” she called loudly, hoping to get his attention.

“Oh, um- hello. I don’t believe we’ve met...girlfriend,” came his stilted reply.

“Oh, hi! I’m Jester!”

“Caleb.” He sounded distracted, still staring at Eodwulf's quickly retreating frame. “Caleb Widogast.”

**Author's Note:**

> i'm playing around with the order of the songs a little bit, but every song in the official soundtrack is accounted for. i'll be noting down which ones each chapter draws from.
> 
> (this chapter contains "a rumor in st. petersburg".)


End file.
